The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2009/03/24 Item 8CITY COUNCIL A STATEMENT ~`~~ CITY OF ^~ CHULA VISTA 03/24/2009 Item ITEM TITLE: RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA APPROPRIATING $70,000 FROM THE AVAILABLE BALANCE OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY FUND FOR THE PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT SUBMITTED BY: CHIEF OF POLICE C'~.~.a ~4... l? P~ REVIEWED BY: CITY MANAGER 4/STHS VOTE: YES X NO SUMMARY The City of Chula Vista Police Department receives funds from each traffic related ticket that is written. These funds are deposited into the Traffic Safety Fund. The Police Department is requesting to appropriate $70,000 from the Traffic Safety Fund for the purchase of equipment for the Traffic Unit to support the various traffic safety programs that aze cunently being conducted. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This proposed activity has been reviewed for compliance with the California Envituonmental Quality Act (CEQA) and it has been determined that the activity is not a "Project" as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a physical change in the environrnent; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary. RECOMMENDATION Council adopt the resolution. BOARDS/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Not Applicable. 8-1 (Eli/fED I/&J) #8 RESOLUTION NO. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA APPROPRIATING $70,000 FROM THE A V AILABLE BALANCE OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY FUND FOR THE PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista receives a portion of every traffic citation paid which is deposited into the Traffic Safety Fund; and WHEREAS, these funds are limited in what they can be spent on in accordance to California Vehicle Code 42200; and WHEREAS, these expenditures are allowable in accordance to California Vehicle Code section 42200; and WHEREAS, the Police Department is seeking to appropriate $70,000 from the available balance of the Traffic Safety Fund to offset the cost of purchasing equipment and supplies to support the Traffic Safety Program; and WHEREAS, the equipment and supplies will allow the Traffic Unit to continue its proactive traffic enforcement programs throughout the City. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council ofthe City of Chula Vista does hereby appropriates $70,000 from the available balance of the Traffic Safety Fund to the Police Department Supplies and Services account for the purchase of traffic safety equipment. Presented by Approved as to form by Richard P. Emerson Police Chief b f 1"<- 7'7 05/06/2008, Item Page 2 of 3 DISCUSSION The City of Chula Vista receives funds from each traffic ticket that is deposited into a special Traffic Safety Fund. Funds from the Traffic Safety Fund "shall be used exclusively for official traffic control devices, the maintenance thereof, equipment and supplies for traffic law enforcement and traffic accident prevention..." (CVC 42200). The department proposes utilizing these funds to purchase two mobile speed sign trailers, a desktop computer, funds to offset the cost of vehicle maintenance for the "Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" program and 10 LIDAR (Laser speed guns) units. Mobile Sign Trailers As part of the broader Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program, the department utilizes mobile traffic speed sign trailers to display driver's current speed in a lazge digital format. This is to heighten awazeness to unsafe speeds throughout the City. Currently, the = ,~ SPEEO department has one mobile traffic speed sign -, ~t.jrM~T ~ trailer in operation, as the other was damaged J beyond repair due to a vehicle accident. Because of the size of the city, and the various locations that special traffic speed enforcement and awazeness programs aze conducted, the department would like to purchase two p gpEEp =~ additional mobile traffic speed sign trailers to ~~ augment the depaztment's ability to help slow traffic speeds throughout the City. These trailers ,~•_ will also be able to keep statistics regazding _ ~ _ number of vehicles, date, time and speed while ; in its operational configuration. This data is - ~ - invaluable to determine if further efforts are ,~ ~ needed to reduce speeds in a particulaz azea. _ Deskton Computer The department recently purchased collision investigation and crime scene diagramming soRwaze. This softwaze provides the department with unparalleled investigative and crash scene re-creation abilities. In order to take advantage of the full capabilities of the softwaze, the departrnent is requesting the purchase of a new desk top computer which will be able to process the complex accident re-creation algorithms required to accurately reconstruct all the events preceding and during an accident. Information is pulled from the vehicles "black box", along with various crash scene measurements and roadway conditions to accurately re-create what happened. This information is vital to determining fault in accidents. Vehicle Maintenance Funds The department has initiated the "Crackdown on Illegal Street Racing" program via a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety. Council approved this grant in September 23, 8-2 05/06/2008, Item_~ Page 3 of 3 2008 (Resolution 2008-223). Since the Office of Traffic Safety does not fund automobile purchases, the department has secured a donated vehicle for enforcement operations. Funds aze being requested to offset the yeazly maintenance costs for this vehicle, estimated at $4,000 per year. An additional $5,000 is also being requested in order to provide maintenance on the reserve Police motorcycle fleet. These are the old Kawasaki Police motorcycles that were recently replaced with new Honda Police Motorcycles. The City is maintaining a fleet of the older motorcycles for use in lazge events. This will allow the department to deploy additional motor units to handle these events (such as concerts, 4`h of July, Yule Tide Pazade, and special enforcement activities). There are plenty of qualified Officers throughout the department (as well as Reserve Officers) who can assist at these large events. LIDAR Units The Deparhnent is in need of new LIDAR (light detecting and ranging) units. LIDAR is similaz to RADAR, except it uses a beam of laser light to calculate vehicle speed. These are more accurate than traditional RADAR units in heavy traffic. The Department would like to purchase 10 portable LIDAR units to enhance the Departments ability to conduct speed enforcement operations. These LIDAR units have been deployed in the field and are compact enough to fit in a small case when used by regulaz patrol officers. These will replace the aging RADAR units that Patrol currently uses. DECISION MAKER CONFLICT Staff has reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and has determined that it is not site specific and consequently the 500 foot rule found in California Code of Regulations section 18704.2(a)(1) is not applicable to this decision. FISCAL IMPACT Approval of this resolution will result in the appropriation of $70,000 from the available balance of the Traffic Safety Fund. There will be no impact to the General Fund. Any savings that result from the procurement process will revert back to the Traffic Safety Fund balance. ATTACHMENTS None Prepared by: Edward Chew, Administrative Services Manager, Police Department S-3 I{EtllJED I/Ml #8 RESOLUTION NO. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA ABPROPRIA TING $70,000 FROM THE A V AILABLE BALANCE OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY FUND FOR THE PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista receives a portion of every traffic citation paid which is deposited into the Traffic Safety Fund; and WHEREAS, these funds are limited in what they can be spent on in accordance to California Vehicle Code 42200; and WHEREAS, these expenditures are allowable in accordance to California Vehicle Code section 42200; and WHEREAS, the Police Department is seeking to appropriate $70,000 from the available balance of the Traffic Safety Fund to offset the cost of purchasing equipment and supplies to support the Traffic Safety Program; and WHEREAS, the equipment and supplies will allow the Traffic Unit to continue its proactive traffic enforcement programs throughout the City. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City ofChula Vista does hereby appropriates $70,000 from the available balance of the Traffic Safety Fund to the Police Department Supplies and Services account for the purchase of traffic safety equipment. Presented by Approved as to form by b f,;:'<-r'7 Richard P. Emerson Police Chief Bart Miesfeld City Attorney